Latchways Plc

Geoffrey Fraser Atkinson

Timothy Bissett

David John Patterson

Jonathan Michael Cogzell

A support for an elongate element comprises a body portion adapted to restrain a supported elongate element against lateral movement. The body portion has a plurality of partial shells extending therefrom, each partial shell having a cross section substantially conforming to a part of the profile of the elongate element to be supported. Adjacent partial shells extend in opposing lateral directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the support. The support may be a split cylinder having a helical groove extending longitudinally of the support, the width of the groove 16 being at least equal to the diameter of the elongate element to be supported.

Intermediate support for elongate safety line or rail

A personal safety device ( ) adapted for longitudinal movement relative to an elongate support element ( ) comprises a body ( ) having a bore ( ) for receiving the element ( ), a slipper ( ) mounted on the body ( ) the slipper ( ) having a surface ( ) oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bore ( ), and connector ( ) connected to the slipper ( ) and being adapted at its other end ( ) for connection to a personal safety harness. Slipper ( ) is movable between first and second positions in response to sudden loading of the connector ( ). In the first position, surface ( ) allows free passage element ( ) through the bore ( ). When slipper ( ) is in the second position, surface ( ) clamps element ( ) firmly to body ( ).

Safety device

A vertical fall arrest device that combines, in a single unit, a fall arrest function, the capability to automatically traverse intermediate supports provided along a safety line and ease of attachment and detachment from the safety line at any point throughout the length of the safety line with dismantling the device. When the device is attached to the safety line, the safety line is captured in a retaining recess and is always in a ready state to lock-on to the safety line in the event of a fall condition. The device can be removed from the safety line easily and without disassembly by depressing a release catch while at the same time pulling a rotatable member a limited distance in a direction away from the main body. The rotatable member moves away from the main body against a spring bias and creates an opening for the withdrawal of the safety line from its captured position. When the pulling force is relaxed, the spring bias causes the rotatable member to relax to the fully locked position. Thus, the device can be readily attached to and detached from the safety line without being dismantled.

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Wiltshire, United Kingdom

Geoffrey Fraser Atkinson